Redemption & Possesion
by resentfull
Summary: Draco and Hermione both return to Hogwarts lost souls, unsure of who they are and what they believe. Only to find the world has been changing around them and everything is different now. Looking for something familiar to grasp onto as the world outside whirls around them, they find each other. Warning : angsty
1. starting over

Disclaimer : I don't own anything, it all belongs to JK Rowling

* * *

Redemption of the Soul

...

Chapter 1: Starting Over

At eighteen you are supposed to be full of life and making stupid mistakes, but Hermione felt as drained as someone more than thrice her age.

Her small lilac colored bedroom unsettled her, it was as if she was a stranger in this bedroom intruding on a life that wasn't hers to live. But what bothered her most was that it was far too easy to say goodbye to her childhood home, it hadn't felt like her home for a long time.

Home is where the heart lies.

Hermione most certainly didn't feel that way. This was just a house, a house where her parents used to live. And without them it was like a skeleton with its organs missing, useless.

Removing her wand from the hidden sheath inside her sleeve she locked all the windows and doors. Years of being in constant danger had caused her to be wary so she kept her wand with her at all times.

Taking one last look around, Hermione apparated with a faint pop.

A second later she opened her eyes only to be surrounded by familiar smells and sounds of Kings Cross Station. But all that faded to the background when she spotted the familiar cluster of bright red hair. In her mind nobody else was on that platform making it easy for her to get to them, but in reality the station was bustling with people. It didn't matter, the only two people Hermione cared about at that moment were standing right in front of her. Grabbing Harry and Ron tightly and pulling them in close to breathe their familiar scent Hermione realized how much she had missed them. How much she had feared that they wouldn't survive.

Despite all the odds, they were here.

"Er Hermione," Harry mumbled uncomfortably, indicating to the crowd around around them who had taken to not so subtly staring. Blushing Hermione took a step back, she was uncomfortable with all the public attention, Harry was used to it, and Ron well he seemed to be basking in the limelight just a little too much.

"So what did you two get up to over summer, god knows how you both survived without me," smiling softly at her two best friends Hermione reminisced over all the happy memories they shared while Ron described the intense quidditch training he and Harry had been trying.

Snapped out of her reverie by the big bustling form of Molly Weasley, Hermione let a soft chuckle escape her lips. As the woman berated her much taller son , "-I'm not going to see you all year remember, the polite thing is to say goodbye to your mother. I raised you better than this, Ronald Weasley"

Despite the fact that Ron was a well built man of 6 foot he still cowered under the inquisition of the famous Molly Weasley. Even Harry laughed at this, despite the fact he wasn't much better himself.

After that Hermione's vision became a blur as she was ambushed with farewell hugs by the entirety of the Weasley clan.

One face stuck in her head however. After the death of Fred, George had withdrawn into himself. Never smiling, laughing, no evidence of the laughter his being seemed to exude. George's death was the main reason Hermione hadn't seen the Weasley family all summer. They had needed some time to grieve, and while nothing would ever be the same most of the family seemed to be returning to some semblance of normal. But George looked like he had died along with his brother, and no one knew if he would ever be okay.

Hermione felt haunted as she remembered the look of George's eyes as the train began to leave the station.

* * *

Draco wasn't oblivious to the reaction of those around him.

Far from it.

He was extremely aware of the wide berth that his peers gave him as he stepped onto the Kings Cross Platform. Did they really think he couldn't hear their whispers.

"Death Eater," someone hissed as he passed by. Probably an idiot, Gryffindor. All the same Draco snapped his head around in the direction of the voice, glaring at a small group of fifth years before stalking off in the direction of the train.

Draco dug his fingernails into his palms, wincing at the pain, as he remembered his promise to his mother.

After the war the Malfoy family surrendered to the ministry. Because Draco was still underage he couldn't be sent to Azkaban so he was released on a probation until his trial.

The same could not be said for his parents. Lucius' trial was two weeks after they had been arrested and he looked like hell. His once regal posture, was now slumped and broken. His skin had a sickly yellow hue, but worst of all his eyes were vacant and hollow. The wizengamot had hardly been understanding, they sentenced Lucius to life in prison. Not that Draco thought he deserved any sort of compassion.

Narcissa Malfoy's trial had been more complicated, only a week after Lucius' trial, she had appeared looking like a shell of the person she once was. The wizengamot had trouble deciding her fate, while she had never been directly involved in any Death Eater crimes, she had witnessed them and stood by silently. What had really been the deciding factor was Harry Potter's testimony. He had told the jury all about how she had defied Voldemort by telling him that Harry was dead. Narcissa had been released on a parole, which was more than Draco could have hoped for. He had spent his whole summer attempting to return her to some semblance of her previous self.

"Draco, I love you, but you know as well as I do that the world we live in is changing fast. And in order to keep up with it we must change ourselves, its hard to accept but what we believed is wrong. I want you to promise me that you will try and change, forget your prejudices." At this point Draco couldn't do anything but nod and curse his mother for guilting him into agreeing.

The truth was Draco was confused, he had no idea what to believe anymore.

He felt betrayed.

Draco Malfoy was a lost soul in denial, but he boarded the train without looking back.

A/N : this chapter is a short one, they will get longer i promise. Please tell me what you think. I hope you enjoyed it. More coming soon.


	2. Atonement & Meetings

After much searching Harry, Ron, and Hermione found Ginny, Neville, and Luna and joined them in their compartment.

Hermione looked much older than all of her friends.

Not because of her height or the way she had grown into her body.

It was something else.

It could be the solemn look on her face, the worry lines permanently etched into her skin, but really it was the air about her. She seemed wise. And while Hermione Granger had always been knowledgable this was different. Formidable.

But at the same time she seemed young.

She was hopeful, and this hope is what kept Hermione smiling and laughing as she listened to Luna's dreamy tales, Rons stupid jokes, and Ginny's rants about quidditch.

* * *

As darkness fell around the train Ginny and Harry, who had been dating for about three months now snuggled together smiling secrets at each other. And as Hermione watched them she felt genuine happiness for her two dear friends.

But she couldnt help but feel a little bit jealous.

Why hadnt Ron asked her out? After that kiss in the chamber of secrets she had been sure they had finally been going somewhere. But Fred's death hit Ron hard. She understood that he needed time but she felt like they were regressing. Back to sixth year when neither could admit their feelings.

It hurt.

However Hermione was not the kind of girl to be needy or pushy and had resolved to let Ron decide when he was ready. She had promised herself she would study hard this year anyway, she needed O's on all her NEWTS.

* * *

After changing into her robes Hermione pinned her silver head girl badge on. After the first time she read Hogwarts A History it had been her dream to become head girl. And when it finally happened she had been so proud, but she had wished she could've shared her happiness with her parents.

It was both a wonderful and horrible memory.

When she had owled Harry and Ron to tell them, they had both congratulated her. However they were hardly surprised, exclaiming they knew she would get it all along. What was surprising though was that Harry had been awarded the position of head boy but he had turned it down.

"I dont need any more attention, I want this year to relax. And plus I dont want to leave the gryffindor common room just yet," Harry had written to her.

_More like he didn't want to leave Ginny in the Gryffindor common room, _hermione snorted under her breath at the thought.

Chuckling softly to herself Hermione bid her friends farewell and made her way to the heads compartment at the front of the train.

* * *

Draco Malfoy scowled at a few third year hufflepuffs who dared a glance at him. Pushing open the door to the heads compartment he let himself relax as he took in the view outside the window.

He was unsure.

Unsure of everything. He wasn't sure who he was anymore. _Do I have anything when I'm not hiding behind my name and my wealth? _ The thought terrified him.

He was very good looking, if he was being modest. A decent quidditch player. And quite intelligent, he'd always been second in his year.

But it wasn't enough.

He couldn't take credit for the fact that he was handsome. He was never good enough to beat Potter in quidditch, and he could never get better marks than Granger.

He a pure blood, came second to a mudbl- muggleborn.

That definitely meant something.

His is thoughts were interrupted when the compartment door opened to reveal Granger.

She looked different.

Her eyes were the same chocolate brown, but her hair had tamed into loose curls that fell down her back naturally. Her cheekbones had become more prominent, and you could see the curves of her womanly figure.

She was hot.

_What? Granger isn't hot, she's an annoying know-it-all. _

His train of thought both disturbed and puzzled him, and even though he knew he was being rude he continued to sit in silence with his thoughts.

* * *

Hermione raised a questioning eyebrow at Malfoy as she walked into the compartment sitting across from him.

She was surprised to say the least.

Despite the fact that Malfoy's marks had always been second only to hers, she never would have thought him a candidate for the position as head boy. What with his involvement in the war. It had nothing to do with the fact she thought he was a bit of a prat. Of course not. _Mcgonagall must be really serious about promoting inter house unity this year. _

Coughing subtly so as to remind Malfoy of her presence she cleared her throat to speak,"As you must already know one of our duties this year as heads is to arrange a patrol schedule, so if you want to tell me your thoughts on how you would like to get this done. We can get this over with quickly and minimise our time together."

Looking up from the stack of papers she had been shuffling around, she saw an amused smirk appear on his face. Huffing under her breath in annoyance she spoke again, "if you don't want to cooperate then why did you accept the position at all, didn't you know-"

"Granger stop talking, I know what needs to get done and I am willing to cooperate. I wouldn't be here if I wasn't. I was just amused, you never relax do you?" His voice was controlled, but had a humoured lilt to it that confused her.

This was the most civil he'd ever been to her.

She never thought that Malfoy was evil, but this was just wrong.

"Of course I relax, Malfoy. Anyway what would you know about relaxing?" She crossed her arms over her chest pouting angrily.

Instead of annoying him, it only made him more amused. An actual laugh escaped his body, startling both of them.

Immediately his whole body went rigid, and his mouth formed a sneer. He picked up his book and proceeded to ignore her.

Hermione's eyes widened in a mixture of curiosity and confusion.

He was going to give her emotional whiplash.

* * *

What was he thinking? Granger and him weren't friends, he watched her get tortured in his own home by his aunt of all people. That wasn't exactly what you call a bonding experience.

He had no idea what the book was about but he continued the pretence of reading anyway, while his thoughts flew around in his head.

He felt her eyes on him.

Normally he would have some witty retort or snarky comment, but he wasn't sure what had just happened and that angered him.

He was a Malfoy, he was meant to be in control of the situation. He should know how to control his emotions, he grew up that way for gods sake.

He needed to get his life under control, fast.

He couldn't let Hermione Granger of all people see his weaknesses. Who knows what she'd do If she saw them.

* * *

Hermione watched him unabashedly, she couldn't help it. His behaviour was so different, complex. He seemed grown up compared to Harry and Ron who still had their immature moments.

He looked older too. His hair was still the same platinum blond, but he no longer slicked it back, instead he left it slightly shaggy which gave it a sexy bed head look.

Sexy?

Since when had she found Draco Malfoy sexy?

He was attractive wasn't he? It didn't mean anything, she remembered how Lavender Brown and Parvati had gossiped about Malfoy's attractiveness. She had dismissed it at the time, being too preoccupied with the mystery of the half blood prince to notice how the young Malfoy heir had aged.

But damn, had he aged well. His body was lean but toned and his pale skin was smooth. His once pointed and regal features had softened slightly which made him look all the more attractive.

What was she thinking?

Malfoy was a git. Just an attractive git, that's all.

Hermione spent the rest of the journey staring out the window to avoid the silver mist of his gaze.

* * *

A/N : I'm not happy with the way this chapter turned out but oh well. Hope you enjoyed it.


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